Such vehicle axles are used in electric vehicles and serve both for the suspension of the electric vehicle wheels concerned and also to drive those wheels. The vehicle axle is supported inter alia by at least one damper on the vehicle body for damping the jouncing movement of the wheel or wheels of the axle. For the drive unit close to the wheel, at least one supply line is usually provided in order to supply electrical energy to its electric machine, for example from accumulators located elsewhere in the electric vehicle.
Owing to the arrangement of the drive unit close to the wheel on the vehicle axle, the drive unit is subjected to severe lifting and impact movements because of the jouncing motions of the electric vehicle wheel concerned.